The Dos and Don'ts of Lifting

Don R. Powell Ph.D. & American Institute for Preventive Medicine

Excerpted from "A Year of Health Hints"
365 Practical Ways to Feel Better and Live Longer
by Don R. Powell, Ph.D.

Health Hint # 44

It's all too familiar: You go to lift an object of some kind, and bam, out of nowhere, the pain hits. Want to avoid hurting your back? Follow the dos and don'ts of proper lifting.

Dos

Wear good shoes with low heels, not sandals or high heels.
Stand close to the thing you want to lift.
Plant your feet squarely shoulder width apart.
Bend at the knees, not at the waist. Keep your back as strait as you can.
Keep your Pull in your stomach and reat-end. Keep your back as strait as you can.
Hold the object close to your body.
Lift slowly. Let your legs carry the weight.
Get help or use a dolly to move something that is too big or very heavy.

Don'ts

Don't lift if your back hurts.
Don't lift if you have a history of back trouble.
Don't lift something that't too heavy.
Don't lift heavy things over your head. Dont lift anything heavy if you're not steady on your feet.
Don't bend at the waist to pick something up. Don't arch your back when you lift or carry.
Don't lift too fast or with a jerk.
Don't twist your back when you are holding something. Turn your whole body, from head to toe.
Don't lift something heavy with one hand and something light with the other. Balance the load.
Don't try to lift one thing while you hold something else. For example, don't try to pick up a child while you are holding a grocery bag. Put the bag down, or lift the bag and the child at the same time.